REVIVE YOUR IMAAN (FAITH) IN WAIT OF RAMADHAN.

A Humble Reminder to myself and all.

In every sphere of our lives as Muslims, we ought to have an unshakeable faith but as humans, we are not expected to go without the rise and fall of our imaan (faith).We constantly have to reactive our purposes in life and in so doing, the first point of call is our spiritual courtesy.

As the Glorious month approaches, it may or not knock at our doors. Death could eventually reach us before Ramadhan. However, we need to revive our imaan before the month reaches us.

No need for hypocrisy. Waiting for the month to begin before increasing our worship of Allah?! No need to wait till then to change our ringing tones into Qur’an verses (which is not allowed, anyway) or Nasheeds. No need to wait until then to clean up our houses and make everything ready for it. It should be done at all times but increased in Ramadhan.

We ought to, in all honesty forgive and ask others to forgive us. We should clean our hearts and clear our minds. Make our entire system devoid of any negativity before Ramadhan and not during. We should seek for forgiveness for the many months of disobedience and feel pure. In this way, we can simply exert all our energies into Worshiping and Praising Allah and enjoy doing so without fear of it not being accepted that is,(If the Glorious month reaches us before death).

I pray That Allah's Mercy be visited upon us before, during and after Ramadhan.I pray that as the month reaches us or not, He forgives us for the sins we committed openly or secretly, intentionally and unintentionally.

I pray that for God's love of the Prophet (S.A.W) and his Ummah, our genuine acts of worship are accepted in many folds and we go back to Him as clean as new born babies. I pray also that the month does not leave us still in distress of whatever issues we are encountering, In Shaa Allaah. Aameen. I wish you a Blessed Ramadhan to come.

RESPECT YOUR PARENTS IN YOUR WORSHIP OF GOD.

Our parents are our first call whenever we have something or need something. Throughout our lives, we've always had to depend on them whenever we needed something. Sometimes, it may not even be a need but we will rush to them for it. This happens especially when we are in the junior and senior high schools.

We even sometimes emotionally depend on them. When it comes to our parents, we children are normally "self centered." We don't, although not intentionally, seem to care about what they have or do not have. All we do is demand and expect to be given at our own whims. We hardly care about how they feel when we disobey them, how they would want us to behave and even why they want us to do certain things their way. Perhaps, that's how God made it. The selfless parent and the selfish child.

However, until God decides otherwise, the tables turn within years. We find or will someday find ourselves in their position as parents and may have to face less, equally or even more of what we did to them. Whether in the child's young age or youthful age if you served your parents with goodwill, you will get your share of that which you served. And if you did serve them with a bundle of pain, nothing will avert your portion of the pain until God decides otherwise.

We are in an era when our parents are disregarded and hugely disrespected. Unfortunately, we forget or don’t even know that in them lies our Jannah (Paradise). We forget that they’re God’s first representatives in our lives. And Shaiytan’s (Satan's) immediate point of destruction in our lives. No matter how difficult or "bad" we think they are, we are taught to be patient with them. Patience we are told. Patience, we should strive to practice.

Indeed it is difficult, but with prayers and sincere faith in God and genuine actions, we will part ways with them from this world in peace. Always remember God in your dealings with them. This will ultimately cleanse you from all "the child – parent trouble" on the day you stand before He in whose hand lies yours and your parents lives. And God Surely Does Know Best.

WHEN SHE'S ALL COVERED UP, SHE SIMPLY LIVES AS QUEEN.

Obviously, just like always, God knew why He ordered us women to cover up. Even if He had no reason, don't you think as a woman, to cover up is far enlightening to your spirit than not doing so?!

When she is covered up, she feels herself. She feels safe even from the whispering breeze. Irrespective of how scotchy the sun is, covering up makes her feel much better because she doesn't have to directly burn up from the heat of the sun. Her physical hijaab is her husband. A companion she lives with in every nook and cranny of the little world she lives. It makes her whole and completes her clothing responsibility.

She doesn't have to tell people who she is. Her appearance from the onset tells it all. Where she's from and where she's headed. In her hijaab, she easily connects with her creator. She can chat with Him at anytime and anywhere. That emptiness others feel isn't something that exists in her because, she feels whole.

Mind you, she doesn't feel whole because she's simply all covered up but because, she makes sure her character and attitude towards her creator, life, people and all living and non-living creatures isn't perfect but something to write home about. Her confidence in being her isn't just because she's all covered up but because she strives to keep a good relationship with God and those around her; be it family, friends, neighbours, colleagues, strangers, etc.

Of-course, she has her shortfalls. But that doesn't make her a fake Muslimmah. It only tells she's human. She lies, (although she detests it). She backbites (although she strives to stop herself). She "fornicates" with her eyes (even if she fights her heart). But all this doesn't make her a hypocrite. It simply tells she's living her decree.

She knows what others may think because she's all covered up. However, she chooses to wear complete apparel not because she is restricted physically and financially but because she prefers to live as the Queen she was created to be. But believe me; she sure does have a beautiful body. Mind you, a purely sexy one. From hair to toes. And that's why she reserves it for the one man for whom she was created. Don't fret. That lady in hijaab is not oppressed by covering up. She simply is living as the Queen she is.

THE BIRTH-DAY CRAZE.

A recent happening in our communities has brought an extremely important yet “unique” situation within the youth. A naive girl lives under her mother's roof with little to eat but knows what to do on her yearly Christian Calendar birthday. A naive man who shares a room with his friend or family knows where to celebrate his birthday. A naive man who suffers minute to earn money knows that he has to organize a birthday party for his “girl friend.”

At these parties, “clothes are worn.” “Prayers are offered.” “Friendships are created.” After everything is said and done, the parties or persons involved look back to their everyday lives. Living in poverty and utter insanity. Every youth today, knows when he/she was born not because he/she is required to know but because the birthday is a memorable day. How insane?!

Does anyone stop to think of the infant who died a few seconds before or after birth? On your birthday, do you ever think of why you have lived to see that day? Do we ever even stop to think of the pain our mothers went through in giving birth, weaning and raising us? Do we ever wait for a few seconds and pray for ourselves and our parents irrespective of any circumstance or where they may be? Do we in all honesty, reflect on where we are coming from and where we are headed?

On the day, we call exceptional, have you and I, just praised God for creating us, for protecting us, for giving our guardians patience and understanding in our upbringing? Have we ever just smiled with our hearts and eyes and said, ALHAMDULILLAH to God?

NO. NO. And NO. The birthday trend has filled our heads and hearts. We just want to enjoy that day while it lasts or while we can to the fullest. All we think of is ourselves on that day. But we do forget that just as it’s a one year plus, it’s also a one year minus to our years of life and therefore, need to "get busy" before we can't.

Do good on your birthday. Fast if you can. Share it with the people who need it most. Get closer to God with every second of breath He Blesses you with and pray for His Guidance all the time. In this, you will surely find peace within you and satisfaction for the rest of your days on earth. And God Knows Best.

BIG MAN, LITTLE CHILD

Time undoubtedly waits for no man whiles man desperately waits on life. Life distress-fully waits for no opportunity. Daily, as the rooster crows and the birds chirp. As the dogs bark at night and the fireflies “tick”, man grows. Man ages. And man welcomes his unwelcome guest; death.

But before the inevitability of death consumes man, he reminisces. Man wishes he could turn the hands of time. Man wishes to return to a time when life was uncomplicated. Man, little child. He wants to be oblivious to the complexities of life. He wants to be overly excited by the little things that make him a little child.

Man wants to believe in the power of smiles,

The benefit of hugs

The love of a kind word

The strength and affection of truth and justice

The solemnity of peace

Then he wants to believe in the integrity of dreams and the inspiration of mankind.

At that point in time, it is not insanity but God in His infinite Knowledge working.
He can change  the condition of even the most faithful worshiper.
Indeed He makes him the man child.

EXTINCTION (LIFE)

Living in our world for long is not permanent. But dying away for long is eternal. The more we grow, the more we learn. The more we grow, the faster our years of living reduce. Such is life.

Years may wrinkle our skin but to give up in life wrinkles our destiny. What have we put down for ourselves for that day of reckoning? What will we tell ourselves when the owner of the heavens and the earth calls us to Him?!

We are on the verge of extinction minute by minute, day by day and need to wake up and smell the coffee before our sense of smell exits. With all the chaos in our lives, all the fun, all the pain, mysteries, hatred, joy and happiness, we must understand one thing.

We own nothing but ourselves. We own nothing except ourselves. This world and its laws allow us nothing except ourselves. And there’s nothing we can leave behind when we die Except the memory of ourselves. So the best we can keep and leave as memory to the world and the hereafter is the best in deeds and words. And God knows best.

DECREE

When I was a child, I ate not by myself. I was fed so I ate what was given me in feeding until I was given the ability to voice what I wanted to eat. Now, I need not wait for anyone, not even my mother to tell me what to eat, how to eat and when to do so.

Because, it is a natural phenomenon. I believe 90% of humans go through that. But the truth of the matter is, God created man and taught him his ways. He created man and put in his palm his decree until he began to live them.

Therefore, not only what we eat but what we drink, wear, do or where we go and what we say have been written down in our (Lawhul maafuuz) book of decree  and when they will stop will not change. However, prayers do shape people's lives. Prayers are man's weapon. Prayers are the only thing that separates man from his Creator. Prayer is the only ally one has in life.